Best to take Echinacea at the very onset of symptoms, and not for too long. It can be very helpful taken that way, by temporarily boosting white blood cell count. However, there's medical evidence to suggest that taking it for extended periods of time when you're healthy might actually weaken one's immune system. Same for Golden Seal.
My sister swears by Sambucol, and she hasn't had so much as the sniffles in years.
Thank you for reminding us about not taking Echinacea and/or Golden Seal for an extended period of time, but only at onset of symptoms. I should have posted that. Some say that Oil of Oregano shouldn't be used every day for a long period of time either.
A search of these on the 'Net or instructions on the bottle or from a physician would probably emphasize that info.
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With all due respect, I believe what you are saying is a distortion of a popular belief amongst herbalists. (I'm an herbalist.) The notion is that taking Echinacea long term causes it to lose its effect of stimulating the immune system. This has been debunked to my satisfaction but is probably still making the rounds in herbal circles. As for Golden Seal it is simply not an immune system stimulator. It helps kill bacteria. Good for secondary infections of the lungs, not very useful and very expensive for viral infections.
I have never heard that either have an adverse effect on the immune system. If you have a source for that I would be very interested. Thank you.